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Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Irish International University Again!

I wrote quite extensively a while back on the issue of "bogus universities" in our presence. Part I was on Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, UMNO Putera's chief who proudly paraded his Masters in Business Administration credentials, which was purchased from a bogus Preston university. Part II covered the use of honorific titles from dubious institutions even in the religious fraternity. And Part III spoke about our very own Ministry of Higher Education and Public Service Department's complicity in lending credibility to these dodgy institutions including a certain "Irish International University".

Well, for those interested, Idlan Zakaria did some updated extensive research about these institutions and posted her findings on his blog.

It appears that some of these institutions which has been "found out" continue to be offering a "degree" education in this country! And Irish International University (IIU) for example, continues to offer their dodgy degree programmes to students in this country, given the recent press article in Kosmo! on their graduation ceremony last month. This is despite the fact that the Irish Embassy has specifically highlighted to our authorities that there is no such university in Ireland!

The "university" even proudly proclaimed that due to the nature of their courses, one can complete its degree programme within a year, when a normal programme would have taken possibly 3 years.

IIU claims to have 40 campuses within UK itself, and another 40 campuses around the world. Does it? Hell, it even runs an Oxbridge College in London!

Oh, and it offered Honourary Doctorates as well to "outstanding individual for his or her contribution to mankind". And the unfortunate "victim" for the honour this time round went to one, Tan Sri Dato Lamin Haji Mohd Yunus, who was recently voted to the UN Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and a non-executive director for several listed companies on Bursa Malaysia, including Mycom Berhad and Golden Hope Plantations Berhad.

IIU tries hard to avoid being categorised as a "degree mill". It tries to legitimise itself by calling itself a "non-traditional legitimate university" (as opposed to universities sanctioned by an Act of Parliament). If I'm not wrong, the fact that it is even using the term "university" in its name is illegal in both the UK and Malaysia since only institutions sanctioned by the Act of Parliament may call itself such. If it is really such a "legitimate" institution, why bother with all the blatant and shameless attempts to mislead?

Why is it that after complaints by the public and the Irish Embassy, this bogus university is still allowed to operate and defraud students in this country? What is the Public Service Commission and Ministry of Higher Education doing?

And the best part of it is...? The convocation ceremony which was held at the KLCC Convention Centre, was officiated by a Deputy Minister from the Prime Minister's Department, on Datuk M Kayveas.

56 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Woahh.. all these spells out FRAUD! FRAUD! FRRAUUDD!! The govt and relevant ministries better step-in ASAP before more students are conned and cheated. Amazing how they used familiar prestigious names like Cambridge and Oxbridge as part of their fraudulent campaign. How do we highlight this to the relevant authorities? Sdr. Lim?

We have lots of 'si ai bin' (hokkien) people in Malaysia who have easy money to buy their way through everything!

So, can't blame the bogus academic institutions since there are willing buyers around. You pay, I give degree! Excellent business sense. If the buyers are willing to pay and subject themselves to ridicule, other 'kay po chee', shut up!

"They even have letters from Malaysian High Commissioner and Sabah Govt"

To be fair, those letters published were mostly a nice way of saying "bugger-off" to their invitations for probably an earlier convo held a few years back and you can't find newer letters when the scam is exposed subsequently... It's interesting to note many people don't look beyond the titles and get carried away.

How come after working so long, I still can't find suckers like some of these students here to give me $$?

Saiful and Ernest award doctorates from Oxford Association of Management and Cambridge Institute. Both in the UK are organisations not recognised by the MOE but then again they do not stop such organisations from being registered.

Other iffy instituions are CSU who have agents such as a legitimate organisation in the country that opened and closed so as to avoid detection and legal procedings by disgruntled students. IGS, college in Pusat Damansara and Cyberlynx all have similar patrons.

On the same track as bogus universities and degrees, I recently got an email from "Sonia" - circumstantialaromatic@asia.com with the following message.

Hate studying?

A Genuine University Degree in 4-6 weeks!

Have you ever thought that the only thing stopping you from a great job and better pay was a few let ters behind you name?Well now you can get them!

BA BSc MA MSc MBA PhD

Within 4-6 weeks!No Study Required!100% Verifiable!

These are real, genuine degrees that include Bachelors, Masters, MBA and Doctorate Degrees. They are fully verifiable and certified transcripts are also available.

Just call the number below.You thank me later

Please call:1-206-600 -6825 Calls returned promptly

Maybe some of the more established private colleges like Monash / Sunway and Taylors can band together to lobby for the govt to take action against these fly by night operations in Malaysia. Be warned!!!

Kian Ming: I can see Tony's point of highlighting the scam IIU tries to pull off by riding on the coattail of the not-so-discerning government (higher ed ministry) and media.

I wouldn't bring "Sonia" into the discussion, though. S/he (it?) (and many others!) had been trying for quite awhile to talk me out of doing my PhD the dumb way (six bloody years, weekly meetings with my advisor, reading & reading & writing & reading & teaching & writing & writing & ...). I am also being asked every day whether I would lend a Nigerian prince a helping hand, and if I want "!!!FREE MALE ENHANCEMENT!!!"

I won't shed a tear for anyone suckered by these patently obvious scams. To bring them up in this discussion suggests their equivalency to---and therefore brings about confusion with---the issue at hand (government and media recognition of degree mills).

I'll be more sympathetic to your appeal (last para of your comment) if "Sonia" signs off as a PhD (AB field) from the University of CD, and directs you to a legit-looking website, and says you can get your degree in a year or two through distance learning or home-ed, AND pony up $6460 per semester for tuition and fees. "A Genuine University Degree in 4-6 weeks!"?? Come on.

Irish international university website now dont have quality assuarace commission AS BEFORE,cambridge association of management and oxford assocation of management as its recognsion from uk AS OF TODAY ALSO MISSING.FUTHER ITS FACULTY OF ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT IS A FOUL USE OF COPY RIGHTS OF ANOTHER AND THOSE WHO GET DEGREES FROM THIS FACULTY WOULD BE SUBJECT TO LEGAL ACTION WHICH IS PENDING.ALSO IT DOES NOT HAVE OXBRIDGE -COLLEGE WEBSITE WHICH IS BLANK TODAY.MALAYSIAN PRIMINISTER'S DEPT DEPUTY MINISTER HAVE NO CLUE AS TO THE CORRUPT NATURE AND CON-TRICKS OF CURRENT IIU MANAGEMENT AND SEEM TO BE A VICTIM AS WELL.A WELL THOUGHT OUT DISTANCE LEARNING UNIVERSITY ON A DEGREE MILL SLIPPERY SLOPE? AND CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY ALSO HARD UP FOR MONEY TO ALLOW IIU TO HAVE CONVOCATION THERE? IT WAS GOOD UNDER FORMER VC UNTILL 2004

Prof Dr G Sou another con-artist with bogus doctoral degrees from australia and ireland and foolishly claim to be members of many non recognised profesional qualifications in europe.seewww.knightsbridgeuniversity.com for details

hi all,i am pretty much disgusted with a local artist aka DR.F (he wish!) marketing his so called "doctorate" degree for his own benefit and guess what....Now he owns his own college bearing his initials!! (FIC) what the f..?Is our gov't really serious about this so-called Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF) or just a typical poser?I am an MBA holder from a private institution in Australia that is accredited within the Australian Qualifications Framework AQF and CRICOS. I am qualified to practice as a professional accountant in the whole Australia and in the UK but not Malaysia as the institution is not recognized by our DIVINE JPA and LAN. Why the f..? is that?

And this so called "doctor" could even opened up his own college and able to grant diplomas!!

what's the fuss all about on the IIU issues? The IIU concept is similar to the Open Univ concept, i think... nothing's wrong with that, right? I guess the only thing that they have done wrong is their marketing and promoting strategies.....their intention is good but their way of doing it is not right. I hope we could give them a chance to improve themselves in the future, if they do it right, we could be proud to have a malaysian institute to be recognized globally!

they are advertising in their website as going to have convocation next year in singapore and start collecting money for degree from now on?remember singapore PM and his father lee kwan yew studied at cambridge.are u sure they approve such convocation knowing fully well that malaysia had enough of bad publicity of iiu?good luck to them if approved

Does IIU gives away their MBA without geting their students to sit for exam or submit assignments? If they don't then it is a serious matter. But if they do then what is the problem? Well, in fact there are students from certain local universities can't even speak and write proper Engligh! If you hav personal conflict with IIU then you should bring this matter to the relevant authorities for acton.

www.ipfm.com, now has many of previous ,www.iiuedu.ie contents.can any one explain how iiu give degrees if one has to go through,www.ipfm.com and www.oxim.org and www.cam-uk.org and www.ebscambridge.ac for degrees from iiu ? all are part of same group of faculty? recent covocation photo show oxford association of management and iiu people also in the picture.it looks like a complex process of getting a degree from iiu.traditionally one apply to university but it looks like money going to lot of organisations like oxim,cam-ac.uk qacuk and so on explain i may be enlightened?

www.ki-media.blogspot.com from cambodia put a question mark over the contradictory answers of president of iiu follwing his meeting with some of 20 phd students who appear to be concerned of recognision of iiu in ireland? on even commented not fit for a university from europe and it is better to replace with europeans as president to keep reputation of iiu in place.

I saw many people in IUU also in oxim, also in EBS, Cambridge and also in their so-called accreditation bodies. And these accreditation bodies also do awards DBA and degrees and supported their claims by saying that their programmes being accreditated by other accreditation bodies, in turn also do awards degrees. So you end up looking into the very large international bogus university ring. I noticed most of students are Malaysian and blacks. I found that this scam organisations have offices in third world countries esp in Malaysia. Fazley (malaysian singer) graduated from IUU, but i also saw his photos in oxim, and EBS, cambridge. And Fazley also have opened Fazley International College at Semua House. His international college is approved by LAN (Lembaga Akreditasi Negara). I guess the diploma offered by his college will be accredited by the Oxim, QAC-Uk so forth. I supspected his teaching staffs also graduated from bogus university.

I saw Executive President of EBS, cambridge Dr.H. Sandhu appears everywhere in other bogus universities website (wearing the same convocation gown). Same to Dr Luis Bravo Sampedro, and Dr Max Blythe.

This bogus university ring is expanding. Their graduates using Dr title and starts opening College..

If any evidence for the irish international universities, just seek for legalise advise, I only know if an university is fake, what for BAC, Accredited by any London colleges? why they're have a graduation convocation all over the countries? if this is not authentic, what for to have international convocation included london, and cambridge. so may I know barbican university llB Law major is accredited? because in this website like a detective.

Irish international UniversityEuropean Union The course comprises of Four Modules and Submission of Projects / Dissertation.Once the project / Dissertation is submitted, the candidate will receive the certificate.Qualification together with experience in the area of interest acceptable to the Board of Assessment & Examination (BAE). it's common an global universities. Malaysia didn't have an global universities, why don't agreed? malaysia become most famous countries! izzit? some people like to break this universities, for what? make money? or?

Interesting to note that the accreditation board, Quality Assurance Commission UK (qac-uk.org)and Oxford Assoc. of Mgmt (oxim.org) both were registered by the same organization, pointing to the same servers. That explains how the "university" received accreditation.

Also, neither Irish International University nor European Business School Cambridge (not to be confused with a proper university with the same name minus the Cambridge suffix) have proper college servers. They host their sites at some $6.99 hosting service.

For the records, Malaysian singer Fazley who goes by the title Dr., is somehow connected to both Irish Intl University and Oxford Assoc. of Mgmt. as his pictures can be seen in both websites.

Another high-profile person who proudly received his doctorate from the Oxford Assoc. of Mgmt is Irfan Khairi, the "millionaire", who makes a living giving talks about how to make money online.

If you have time, take a look at this interesting presentation on Degree Mills: http://www.hep.uiuc.edu/home/g-gollin/diploma_mills.pdf

useless govt... i too was con by the various letters by jpn and prime ministers department in to doing the iiu master... even met Dr.H. Sandhu... my convo guest speaker was Datuk musa hitam....?all this and its a con...this paper that i have has no value at all...wasted my epf coz epf allow me to withdraw..is it that easy to withdraw money from epf... shouldn't there be a control about this...if this was a western country, someone would probably sue the govt. for stupidity in allowing the public to be cheated so...some ppl must have gotten something out of this...so much for the anti corruption ppl...

Unfortunately IIU is not the only unaccredited institution "pay-and-get-your-degree" basis. Golden State University is one of them. I recently spoke to the GSU rep. He said all I have to do is to pay a sum of money (abt RM24,000) and get the MBA degree.. no class, no thesis and no exam! the convocation ceremony will be held at Crown Princess Hotel in KL.have a look at:http://www.fastgraduate.com/

www.iiuedu.ac now show as irish international university ,commonwealth but ,www.iiuedu.ie to have 8th european convocation from tomorrow in oxford as before.Does that mean it is not bogus after all or another doggy claim? Please let us know the truth.

Read this, it means the singer Fazley also using same title...how funny reading a report from BBC investigation..Yo dont enroll to this university, verify with the authorities!...http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/arkib.asp?y=2004&dt=0411&pub=utusan_malaysia&sec=hiburan&pg=hi_05.htm&arc=hive

Everyone talks about IIU, but it yet operates as did before. If it has been proven that it was a bogus university, why UK/Malaysia governments can not ban this institute. If not, why can both governments not make actions to get them in line with the requirements, so that it makes more sense than debating on these issue for years. What we want is to get thing right and not to talk for years what has gone wrong.

aiyaaa...when it is scam, y should u enroll to such Uni, better enrol to the Uni, which offers accredited, recognized not only in Malaysia but elsewhere....dont take easy shortcut by cutting the completion of the programs. Like Fazley the singer claimed to have PHD...wakkkk..what dissertation does he have. He should be punished of claiming such a title...shame on him!

Obviously some of you are pretty ignorant and shallow. Education has evolved. It's no longer confined to traditional Universities and conventional study. Preston is world reknown and has never been a degree mill nor does she sell her qualifications. It doesn't have accredition due to political reasons with the education ministry of America but this in no way makes her a degree mill. The graduates of Preston today sit in high positions in the corporate field and politics, not just in Malaysia but around the whole world. Who are you to question people's credentials? Typical shallow minded and unexposed Malaysians!

This scam is alive and kicking and still thrives in africa especially in Kenya where Sandhus sidekick runs a college - DALC EDUCATION. Kenyan bloggers are systematically exposing this fraud at http://diplomacon.blogspot.com

be absolutely cautious, there are three so called professional institutes called Inst. of prof. financial managers (UK ), Inst. prof managers & adm (UK ) & Royal irish institute of technology offers diplomas, adv. diplomas, post grad diplomas to our msian public. based on my findings they are all fake

surprisingly if you search in www.linkedin.com... it seems that alot of head of department, senior manager, manager have a master degree from Irish International University...and are well paid..i hope....demmm

Enough comments are read from interested parties to put across their comments.

I just wish to put some thoughts of mine. Probably those who posted their comments are not aware of what had transpired between IIU, JPA and related candidates.

Let me share some insights on this matter. There were many facilitators registered under Irish International University (IIU). These facilitators were required to comply strictly on requirements set by the Ministry. Some may comply and others may not. But I was made to know that there is a letter of confirmation by JPA accepting IIU's Master and Doctorate with condition that candidate obtained the 1st degree from recognized universities by the Ministry of Education.

I was also made to know that many government officials had taken their masters and doctorates from this university and EPF had granted withdrawal for their tuition fees. Even ministerial representatives were present during the convocation. These were proofs that the existence of IIU was accepted.

It is very unfortunate history to those affected by this uncalled incident. Monies and time were spent extensively and the return was not commensurate adequately. The future is in bleak particularly one reputation and career. Something must be done particularly from JPA's stand on this matter. Screening must be done base on case to case basis. The existence of IIU was way back in 1990s'

Dato Fazley's case was very recent in 2006 not in 1994. It is unfair to those who had taken programmes from IIU prior to 2006. Need to re-evaluate the case as to be partial to those affected.

i have being following to this blog till the last comments posted on 23/9/2012.

since i was one of the victim and i being tracing them and trying to get back my hard earned earning from this fellow Shadu...so is there any means or ways..if there is...!! can we all get together and get this bogus fella's behind bars.